USGA Amateur Status Appeals and Advisory Opinion Procedure

(a) Request for Advisory Opinion from the Staff

Any person may request an advisory opinion from the USGA staff regarding whether an action that he or she is proposing to take would adversely affect his or her amateur status. Such a request should be provided by email to the USGA Director, Amateur Status and Rules of Golf at amstat@usga.org. The staff shall determine, in its sole discretion, whether an advisory opinion should be provided.

(b) Appeal of a Decision from the Staff

Any person whose amateur status may be adversely affected by a staff decision, whether issued in response to a request for an advisory opinion or otherwise, may appeal to the USGA Amateur Status Committee (“Committee”). A written request for an appeal shall be submitted to the USGA Director, Amateur Status and Rules of Golf at amstat@usga.org within 30 days after notice of the adverse decision. The appellant will be given reasonable notice of the Committee's next regularly scheduled meeting at which the matter may be heard. The reasons for the appeal shall be provided by the appellant in writing. The appellant may also present his or her case in person to the Committee, in which case his or her complete written submission must be provided to the staff no less than 10 days before any appearance before the Committee. In all cases, the staff will provide the Committee with all information provided by the appellant, together with the staff's findings and recommendation. The Committee shall then issue a decision on the matter.

(c) Appeal of a Decision from the Amateur Status Committee

Any person whose amateur status may be adversely affected by a Committee decision may appeal to the USGA Executive Committee. A written request for an appeal shall be submitted to the USGA Director, Amateur Status and Rules of Golf at amstat@usga.org within 30 days after notice of the adverse decision. The appellant will be given reasonable notice of the Executive Committee’s next regularly scheduled meeting at which the matter may be heard. The reasons for the appeal shall be provided by the appellant in writing. The appellant may also present the case in person to the Executive Committee, in which case his or her complete written submission must be provided to the staff no less than 10 days before any appearance before the Executive Committee. In all cases, the staff will provide the Executive Committee with all information provided by the appellant, together with staff's findings and recommendation and the Committee’s findings and decision. The Executive Committee shall then issue a decision on the matter. The decision of the Executive Committee is final and not subject to any further appeal.

(d) General

In all appeals, the staff, the Committee and the Executive Committee may continue to investigate the facts and circumstances of the matter after the issuance of a decision and while the appeal is pending, and they may base their decision on any facts or matters they deem relevant. The Committee and/or the Executive Committee may alter or reverse their decision if they subsequently determine that statements made by the appellant in support of the appeal were inaccurate or misleading or that the decision was otherwise based on an understanding of the facts and circumstances that was incorrect.